JP3149699B2 - Color thermal recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color thermosensitive recording apparatus for coloring a recording paper using a thermal head and fixing the dye by irradiating ultraviolet rays.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of personal computers, printers, which are peripheral devices thereof, have been spreading.
In particular, there is a growing demand for small-sized, low-priced, low-running-cost full-color printers. In the past, full-color printing was generally performed by a heat transfer method of a fusion type or a sublimation type using an ink sheet. However, since an ink sheet was required as a consumable and a special recording paper had to be used, printing 1 was performed. The running cost per sheet is high, and a drive system such as a motor that winds the ink sheet accurately, a mechanism to remove the slack of the ink sheet, a detection sensor that identifies the presence or absence of the ink sheet and the color that is sequentially applied are provided. The necessity required a complicated and large-sized apparatus and a high price. Due to recent technical innovations in thermal recording materials, thermal recording paper capable of performing full color printing without an ink sheet and a color thermal recording apparatus using the thermal recording paper have been commercialized. The color thermal recording device of this type does not require an ink sheet, and has advantages such as simplification of the device, lower price, and lower running cost compared to the thermal transfer type, and it will be one of the mainstream of full color printing in the future. is there.

A conventional color thermal recording apparatus will be described below. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the configuration of a conventional color thermal recording apparatus. In FIG. 5, 1 is a recording paper, 12 is a thermal head for coloring by heat generation, 1
Reference numeral 3 denotes a platen roller rotatably supported. Reference numeral 14 denotes a sheet conveying means that holds the leading end of the recording sheet 1 and is rotatable together with the platen roller 13. Reference numerals 5 and 6 are supported adjacent to the platen roller 3 and are ultraviolet rays having different wavelengths. This is a fluorescent tube which is an ultraviolet irradiation unit that emits light. The thermal head 12 can press and separate the recording paper 1 against the platen roller 13 by a drive system (not shown), and the platen roller 13 is moved in the direction B in the drawing together with the paper transport means 14 by a rotary drive system (not shown). Can rotate.
Further, the sheet holding portion A of the sheet conveying means 14 is pressed against the platen roller 13 by the force of a spring (not shown), and can hold the sheet. The opening means (not shown) resists the spring force. Then, the sheet holding portion A can be opened.

Here, the characteristics of the recording paper 1 will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cross section of the recording paper 1. In FIG. 6, T is a heat-resistant protective layer, Y is a yellow recording layer, M is a magenta recording layer, C is a cyan recording layer, and B is a support. Each of the yellow, magenta, and cyan recording layers is formed of a dye that develops a color when heat energy is applied. For these dyes, the applied energy leading to color development increases in the order of yellow, magenta, and cyan, and
Yellow and magenta dyes are fixed by irradiating ultraviolet rays of a specific range of wavelength in the uncolored state,
It has the characteristic that it does not develop color even after energy is applied. Further, since the wavelength range where the magenta dye is fixed is completely included in the wavelength range where the yellow dye is fixed, it is possible to fix both the yellow dye and the magenta dye by irradiating ultraviolet rays having the wavelength where the magenta dye is fixed. By irradiating ultraviolet rays having a wavelength within a range in which only the yellow dye is fixed, only the yellow dye can be fixed without changing the magenta dye. A procedure for performing full-color printing on the recording paper 1 using this characteristic will be described below. Prepare a fluorescent tube for fixing the yellow dye that emits ultraviolet light of a wavelength that can fix only the yellow dye while keeping the magenta dye as it is, and a fluorescent tube for fixing the magenta dye that emits ultraviolet light of the wavelength that can fix the magenta dye. . First, a yellow dye that develops color with the lowest applied energy is developed by heating, and then a fluorescent tube for fixing the yellow dye is irradiated to fix an uncolored portion. Since the applied energy at this time is sufficiently lower than the applied energy at which the magenta dye and the cyan dye develop, the magenta dye and the cyan dye are not colored. Next, the magenta dye that develops color at an intermediate applied energy is heated to develop a color, and then a fluorescent tube for fixing the magenta dye is irradiated to fix the uncolored portion. The applied energy at this time is sufficiently lower than the applied energy at which the cyan dye develops, so that the cyan dye does not develop. Further, since the yellow dye has already been fixed, no color is formed. Finally, the cyan dye that develops color with the highest applied energy is developed by heating. At this time, since the yellow dye and the magenta dye have already been fixed, no color is formed. In order to simultaneously fix the yellow dye and the magenta dye on the non-printing portion of the recording paper, only the fluorescent tube for fixing the magenta dye needs to be irradiated. The recording paper 1 is a heat-sensitive recording paper capable of performing full-color printing by repeating coloring and fixing in the above procedure. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 5 denotes a fluorescent tube for fixing a yellow dye, and reference numeral 6 denotes a fluorescent tube for fixing a magenta dye.

The operation of the conventional color thermal recording apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described below. First, the thermal head 12 and the platen roller 13 are separated from each other, the paper holding unit A of the paper transport unit 14 is opened, and the paper is fed by a paper feeding mechanism (not shown) until the leading end of the recording paper 1 reaches the paper holding unit A. After that, the leading end of the recording sheet 1 is held by the sheet conveying means 14 as shown in FIG. Next, until both the platen roller 13 and the sheet conveying means 14 rotate in the direction B in the drawing until the sheet conveying means 14 reaches between the thermal head 12 and the fluorescent tube 6, FIG.
As described above, the thermal head 12 presses the recording paper 1 against the platen roller 13. In this state, as shown in FIG.
In the direction C, the thermal head 12 applies energy to the recording paper 1 to cause the yellow dye to develop in the part C shown in the figure, so that the yellow dye is developed. In the part D shown, the fluorescent tube 5 for fixing the yellow dye is irradiated. To fix the yellow dye. When the yellow coloring and fixing are completed, the thermal head 12 is moved to the platen roller 13.
The platen roller 13 and the paper transporting means 14 rotate together, and the paper transporting means 14 reaches between the thermal head 12 and the fluorescent tube 6 again.
2 presses the recording paper 1 against the platen roller 13. Hereinafter, by repeating the same operation as in the case of yellow, magenta coloring and fixing and cyan coloring are performed.
However, fixing is not performed after the cyan color is developed.
And the irradiation of ultraviolet rays in the fluorescent tube 6 is not performed. When the yellow, magenta, and cyan colors have been formed and fixed, FIG.
The paper holding unit A of the paper transport means 14 is opened as shown in FIG.
The front end portion E of the recording sheet 1 on which the dye is not fixed because it is held in the sheet holding portion A is irradiated by the magenta dye fixing fluorescent tube 6 to fix the yellow dye and the magenta dye. When fixing is completed, platen roller 1
3, the recording paper 1 is discharged by a discharge mechanism (not shown). In the conventional color thermal recording apparatus, full-color printing is performed by the above operation.

[0006]

However, in the configuration of the conventional color thermal recording apparatus, the outer periphery of the platen roller needs to be longer than the entire length of the recording paper. For this reason, the platen roller becomes large, and the driving source for rotating the thermal head and the platen roller also becomes large.In general, the platen roller and the thermal head become expensive when they become large. There was a problem in that the device would be expensive due to its use.

The present invention solves the above problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide a color thermal recording apparatus which has an ultraviolet irradiation section, is capable of performing full color printing of a thermal method, and realizes miniaturization and low cost of the apparatus by using a small platen roller.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems] color thermal recording apparatus of the present invention to achieve this object, a sheet conveyance means for linearly reciprocating movement holds the leading end of the recording paper, the ultraviolet to the recording sheet An ultraviolet light irradiator for irradiating and fixing a color, a first paper guide portion provided from the vicinity of the platen roller to the vicinity of the ultraviolet light irradiator, and provided on the opposite side of the platen roller from the first paper guide portion. A second paper conveyance guide portion, and the thermal head and the print head.
The recording paper separated from the Latin roller is again
Guide between the round head and the platen roller,
Bend the recording paper at an obtuse angle with the platen roller as a fulcrum.
It is characterized by that.

[0009]

With this configuration, the size of the platen roller is reduced, thereby realizing the reduction in the size and cost of the color thermal recording apparatus capable of performing thermal full-color printing. Since the sheet can be conveyed to a position where irradiation is possible, the entire area of the recording sheet can be fixed.
Further, the recording paper released from the space between the thermal head and the platen roller is reliably returned without jamming between the thermal head and the platen roller by the action of the first paper guide portion, the second paper guide portion, and the platen roller. be able to.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1A is a plan view showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a front view. In FIG. 1, 1 is a recording paper, 2 is a thermal head that generates color by heat generation, 3 is a platen roller rotatably supported,
Reference numeral 4 denotes a paper transport means for holding the leading end of the recording paper 1 and reciprocating, and reference numerals 5 and 6 denote fluorescent tubes which are supported adjacent to the recording paper 1 and emit ultraviolet rays of different wavelengths. Is a first paper guide portion provided from the vicinity of the platen roller to the vicinity of the ultraviolet irradiation section, and 9 is a second paper guide portion provided on the opposite side of the platen roller 3 from the first paper guide portion 8. It is. The thermal head 2 can press and separate the recording paper 1 with respect to the platen roller 3 by a drive system (not shown), and the platen roller 3 is rotated by a rotary drive system (not shown).
It can be rotated in any direction. The sheet holding section A of the sheet conveying means 4 is pressed by the force of a spring (not shown) and can hold the recording sheet 1. The sheet holding section A is opposed to the spring force by opening means (not shown). Can be opened. Further, the recording paper 1 is a thermosensitive recording paper capable of performing full-color printing by repeating color development by heating and fixing by ultraviolet irradiation as described in the first example of the conventional color thermal recording apparatus. Similarly to the conventional color thermal recording apparatus, 5 is a fluorescent tube for fixing a yellow dye, and 6 is a fluorescent tube for fixing a magenta dye. In FIG. 1A, the fluorescent tube 5 and the fluorescent tube 6 are omitted.

The operation of the color thermosensitive recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention constructed as described above will be described below. First, in a state where the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3 are separated from each other and the sheet holding unit A of the sheet conveying unit 4 is opened, the leading end of the recording sheet 1 reaches the sheet holding unit A by a sheet feeding mechanism (not shown). Fig. 2
As shown in (a), the leading end of the recording sheet 1 is held by the sheet conveying means 4, and the thermal head 2 presses the recording sheet 1 against the platen roller 3. In this state, as shown in FIG. 1, the paper transport means 4 moves in the direction C in the figure, and in the area D in the figure, the thermal head 2 applies the energy for the recording sheet 1 to be colored with the yellow dye, so that the yellow dye is colored. The yellow dye is fixed by irradiating a yellow dye fixing fluorescent tube 5 in a portion E in the drawing. At this time, FIG.
As shown in (b), since the leading edge of the recording paper 1 is released from between the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3 and the paper transporting means 4 can move until it reaches directly below the fluorescent tube 5, the paper transport of the recording paper 1 is performed. The fixing of the yellow dye can be performed up to the tip not held by the means 4. When the coloring and fixing of yellow are completed, the thermal head 2 is separated from the platen roller 3, and the sheet conveying means 4 moves in the direction F in the figure while returning the recording sheet 1 while the platen roller 3 rotates in the direction B in the figure. At this time, the platen roller 3 rotates at a peripheral speed slightly higher than the speed at which the recording sheet 1 is conveyed, and the recording sheet 1 is friction-fed on the periphery of the platen roller 3. Hereinafter, by repeating the same operation as that for yellow, magenta coloring and fixing and cyan coloring are performed. However, since the fixing is not performed after the cyan color is developed, the fluorescent tubes 5 and 6 are not irradiated with ultraviolet rays. When the yellow, magenta, and cyan colors have been developed, the paper holding unit A of the paper transport unit 4 is opened and separated from the recording paper 1 as shown in FIG. Irradiation is performed by the fluorescent tube 6 for fixing the magenta dye to the leading end portion G which is not touched, so that the yellow dye and the magenta dye are fixed. When the fixing is completed, the recording paper 1 is discharged by a discharge mechanism (not shown). Since the full-color printing of the heat-sensitive method is performed by the above operation, the dye can be fixed in the entire area of the recording paper 1.

In the above operation, when returning the recording sheet 1 from the state shown in FIG. 2B to the direction F in the figure, if the leading end of the recording sheet 1 is greatly curled or the recording sheet 1 is weakly squeezed, There is a possibility that the recording paper may intrude in the directions of P, Q, R, and S to cause jamming. In order to prevent this, the first sheet guide portion 7 has a positional relationship as shown in FIG. 4A, and since the illustrated X dimension is smaller than the width W of the recording sheet 1, the leading end of the recording sheet 1 is curled. Even though the recording paper 1 is guided, both sides of the recording paper 1 are always guided to the first paper guiding portion 7, so that the recording paper 1 does not jam in the directions P, Q, and R in FIG. Because the dimensions are large enough,
Even if the leading edge of the recording sheet 1 is greatly curved as in the area A in FIG. 4C, jamming does not occur on the area B in the thermal head 2 in FIG. 4B. However, as shown in portions C and D in FIGS. 4B and 4D, the illustrated X dimension and the illustrated Z dimension are such that the amount of ultraviolet irradiation at both sides and the leading end of the recording paper 1 can be sufficiently secured. Therefore, the dye on both sides and the leading end does not become insufficiently fixed due to the shadow of the first sheet guide portion 7. Also, as shown in FIG.
Since the first sheet guide portion 8 is below the recording sheet 1 and reaches very close to the platen roller 3 even when the leading end of the sheet is separated from the platen roller 3, the direction as shown in S in FIG. And no jamming occurs. However, as shown in FIG. 4B, the illustrated H dimension is smaller than the height of the recording sheet 1, so that the recording sheet 1 does not rub against the recording sheet 1 during printing to cause resistance.
2A, the second paper guide portion 9 has a positional relationship such that the recording paper 1 is bent at an obtuse angle and the recording paper 1 is pressed against the platen roller 3 as shown in FIG. The rotation of the platen roller 3 at a peripheral speed slightly higher than the rotation speed causes the recording paper 1 to be frictionally fed, so that the recording paper 1 can be returned more reliably without sagging. In this way, the first paper guide portions 7 and 8,
When the recording sheet 1 is returned from the state shown in FIG. 2B to the direction F in the figure by the action of the second sheet guide portion 9, the cause of jamming is eliminated, and the reliability of the operation is greatly improved.

In this embodiment, the first sheet guide portion 7 is dimensioned as shown in FIGS. 4 (b) and 4 (d) to secure the irradiation amount of ultraviolet rays on the leading end and both sides of the recording sheet 1. If a material that transmits ultraviolet light is used for the first paper guide portion 7, it goes without saying that the first paper guide portion 7 can be formed with a sufficiently large area.

[0014]

As described above, the present invention is directed to a color thermal recording apparatus having a fluorescent tube and capable of performing full-color printing of a thermal type by providing a paper transport means for holding the leading end of a recording paper and reciprocating linearly. In addition, the size and cost of the apparatus can be reduced, and the entire range of the recording paper can be irradiated with ultraviolet light. In addition, the first paper guide portion and the second paper guide portion have no jamming operation. Since a highly reliable color thermal recording apparatus can be provided, its practical effect is great.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a color thermal recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the color thermal recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the color thermal recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the color thermal recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a configuration of a conventional color thermal recording apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a recording sheet.

FIG. 7 is a front view for explaining the operation of a conventional color thermal recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording paper 2 Thermal head 3 Platen roller 4 Paper conveyance means 5, 6 Fluorescent tube 7, 8 First paper guide part 9 Second paper guide part

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Taichi Ito 1006 Kadoma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Inside Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. In-company (72) Inventor Fumihiro Ito 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Inside Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Document JP-A-7-76144 (JP, A) JP-A-6-155777 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/32 -2/325 B41J 13 / 22 B41J 11/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A and Sir <br/> thermal head for performing color by heating the recording sheet, rotation capable and supported the platen roller, the paper conveying means for linearly reciprocating holding the leading end of the recording sheet When the ultraviolet irradiation unit that fixes the color was irradiated with ultraviolet rays to the recording sheet, near the platen roller
The first paper plan provided from the side to the vicinity of the UV irradiation part
An inner position and the first sheet with respect to the platen roller
A second paper transport guide section provided on the opposite side of the guide section
And the thermal head, the platen roller,
The recording paper separated from the space between the thermal head and the front
Guide between the platen roller and the platen roller
The recording paper is bent at an obtuse angle with the fulcrum as the fulcrum.
Color thermal recording apparatus to be. 2. The color thermal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sheet guide portion is arranged so as not to block ultraviolet rays irradiated on the recording sheet. 3. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the first sheet guide portion is formed of a material that transmits ultraviolet light, and the recording sheet is irradiated with ultraviolet light through the first sheet conveyance portion so that the recording sheet is fixed. 3. The color thermal recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: